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  • Dave 8:56 am on February 12, 2007 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

    Sydney to Brisbane road trip 

    Introduction

    Nicola, a friend from the UK, came and did this tour from Sydney to Brisbane in a campervan with me. We had such a good time I thought I’d write a guide for anyone who’d like to try it. (It’s written in the singular because it was originally intended to be a guide on a different website…I’m not pretending Nic doesn’t exist :) Yep, this is what I’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks.

    Via: Pacific Highway (coastal route)
    Distance: ~965km
    Non-stop travel time: ~15 hours
    Best between: June and December

    Preparing for the journey

    Firstly, you’ll be needing some transport. There’s several options open to you – you’ll either buy something on the cheap or rent. Buying avoids the fees associated with hire vehicles (return fee, cost per day, add-ons like awning charged daily, LPG refills, insurance, etc) but be aware that different states have different regulations regarding tax, MOT and road worthiness which can result in huge fines.

    Choosing between a car, 4×4, van or campervan is an important decision and will influence your level of comfort and the amount of money you can spend on your travels. For example, travelling in a car will probably be the cheapest transport option, but you’ll have to pay for B&B’s/hostels/hotels … or sleep in your car – and who wants to sleep in a car?! I hired a campervan (from Britz) which had a double bed, shower, fridge, microwave and gas cooker powered by LPG. While I hardly used the shower and cooker, and really could’ve managed without them, it did mean that I could park almost anywhere for the night. If I do the trip again, I think I’d plump for a normal van and stay at more resorts – they’re pretty cheap but obviously won’t be for everyone.

    Also, standard campervan insurance doesn’t allow you to venture off sealed roads onto dirt tracks. My guide specifically doesn’t use dirt tracks for that reason.

    Ok, so once you’ve got your transport, you’ll be needing some supplies:

    1. Water - lots of it. Maybe a 6 pack of 2 litre bottles. Why so much? If you get a flat tyre, or need to wait for a motorway to open because of a bush fire, you’ll be needing water to keep you – and maybe your vehicle – cool.
    2. Some food. You shouldn’t need too much as there’s some nice places on the road to stop, have a break, and get something to munch. Things like oat bars, fruit and nuts keep reasonably well and don’t need any preparation.
    3. A detailed road map. There’s plenty of second hand book shops where you can get a good deal, but most of the hire centres have them for sale too. While the roads you’ll be driving on hardly change from year to year, occasionally the government puts a toll booth on a road so have some currency in your wallet.
    4. Music! Australian radio can be quite terrible and has lots of talking and adverts.
    5. A mobile phone. Goes without saying really. On the Sydney to Brisbane trip you should get a signal the whole time you’re travelling so you won’t need to hire an expensive satellite phone.

    Day 0: Sydney

    I stayed in the Vulcan Hotel in downtown Sydney (Ultimo) – it’s a clean and modern hotel with friendly staff and good food. If you’ve got an evening to kill I highly recommend Icebergs at Bondi Beach which isn’t particularly cheap but has an awesome dining area and a lush bar. Icebergs is well known for it’s good food and it’s one of the 20 things Lonely Planet says you must do in Sydney. Booking essential. A taxi from the hotel should be around $20/25.

    Day 1: Sydney to Cessnock/Pokolbin (Lower Hunter Valley)

    Assuming you’ve picked up your transport already, leave Sydney over the Harbour Bridge (enjoy the view of Sydney Opera House on your right). Plough through the northern Sydney suburbs and after around half an hour the scenery will change. You’ll pass a few beaches so grab a swim if you feel like it – today is an easy drive north. If you’re keen to get to the wineries of the Hunter Valley (I was!) skip through Cessnock to Pokolbin where you’ll find a multitude of wineries – including Jacobs Creek.

    If there’s a bush fire in Northern Sydney you have a couple of options. Drive as North as you can, stop where the police tell you too, and wait for updates. On the day I left we had to wait 6 hours for the authorities to get the fire under control, but obviously this depends on lots of factors. If you don’t want to wait and hope they reopen the road, go back and West to Windsor and take the ferry over the river there. Be warned though, when Northern Sydney is blocked, lots of people use the ferry. There are a couple of ferries but the most one ferry can take is 20 cars at a time. Choose wisely!

    Day 2: Hunter Valley

    A day for wine tasting.

    I’d recommend the McGuigan Cellars at Pokolbin – whack some golf balls into the pond to win prizes at the driving range, visit the world-class gardens, and of course, sample some of the best wine of the region. There’s absolutely no pretentiousness about wine tasting here!

    Wines I tried: Tempus Two – Ziggy (blend), Tempus Two – Semillon/Sav. Blank, Tempus Two – Cabernet Merlot, McGuigan Gold – The Red

    There’s an information centre (with ATM and cafe) at Pokolbin which is the best place to find out what’s going on in the region, info about wineries and accommodation, etc. Definitely a useful stop.

    Day 3: Hunter Valley to Newcastle

    Your head might be a little bit sore this morning from all that wine so today is an easy drive to Newcastle on the coast. Newcastle is a fun little town, and while not much happens here, the beach is a good place for a swim and there’s a few beautiful spots around the place. Up on the hill, an Obelisk looks out to sea – marking the first site of water when the first settlers founded Newcastle. Today it’s an amazing place to stand at dusk or dawn and watch a whole 360 degree panoramic of the city. I parked nearby on top of the hill, facing the sunrise which was quite special one morning.

    By the evening your hangover should’ve disappeared so walk down the hill to the Crown and Anchor bar/nightclub on Hunter Street. Upstairs is a balcony restaurant come nightclub so depending on the time of day either try the food or sample the frozen cocktails from the “washing machines” on the wall.

    If you’ve got time visit nearby Bogey Hole (I hear it’s good for skinny dipping if you’re into that) or for a walk along the coast where you can see the different layers of rock, including a layer of coal.

    Day 4: Newcastle to Coffs Harbour

    Today is a bit of a drive, especially as there’s plenty to see along the way. Leave Newcastle early morning and join the Pacific Highway north bound. Take a detour to Elisabeth Bay (turnoff at Bulahdelah) where there are some nice beaches and interesting towns. Port Macquarie is a good place to have lunch if you want to stop somewhere civilised.

    I stayed in the Emerald Beach Holiday Park so that I could recharge the battery in our campervan and have a decent shower. It’s a wicked little place, and part of the Big 4 network of holiday parks so you’ll probably get a discount if you’re driving a hire van. Not only does it have the cleanest toilets and showers I’ve seen in a holiday park, but it has a giant inflatable bouncy “pillow”, it’s close to the town, is a 5 minute walk to a lovely beach – perfect for your morning swim, and has shops and two excellent restaurants nearby.

    Room 101, a romantic little restaurant just around the corner from the Emerald Beach Holiday Park, does the finest steak this side of Australia. Not only did the staff go out of their way to cook a late meal for me (I arrived as they were about to close), they also recommended some excellent wine – better than the ones I tried in the Hunter Valley. I can’t say enough nice things about this place.

    Before you skip town for the next destination, make sure you visit the Big Banana – one of the many “big things” in Australia. There’s also some toboggans and ice skating if big bananas don’t float your boat.

    There’s a regularly updated guide to Coffs Harbour if you need some more information.

    Day 5: Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay/Sawtell

    Most of the people I spoke to in Sydney said that I must visit Byron Bay because it’s so beautiful and after passing through places like Newcastle and Coffs Harbour, it’ll seem a bit more “hip”. Over the past few days you’ll have gone from cityscapes, to rolling vineyards, to rain forests, to hick towns and arriving in Byron Bay will bring you back to a bit of civilisation.

    I arrived late in the afternoon just as a storm was rolling in. As I walked along the beach, I contemplated that having seen arguably the best beaches in the world in Thailand, I was now looking at the most romantic. While Byron Bay can be romantic, many Aussies pass it off as pretentious, touristy, or cheap. If you agree, do what the Aussies do, visit Sawtell – checking out the beach and RSL.

    Fish Heads right on Byron Bay beach by the car park does great fish and chips and outstanding oyster boxes. Avoid the Great Northern Hotel on the main drag, apart from the pool tables, it’s quite like a giant version of a skanky Wetherspoons.

    Day 6: Byron Bay to Gold Coast

    Today you’ll be travelling up the splendiferous Gold Coast, entering from the south via Tweed Heads (look out for the Big Prawn!). Avoid the temptation to stop at the exotically named Palm Beach and Miami and continue on until you reach Surfers Paradise (Main Beach) where you can park up, pull your clothes off, and dive right into the warm blue water. In the excitement, don’t forget to stay between the flags where it’s safest to swim – away from the danger of being hit by a surf board or swept away by the current.

    There are so many places to eat, drink and sleep on the Gold Coast that I wouldn’t know where to start. I just picked a Big 4 holiday park to park up in, recharge the batteries again, and fill up with water. It wasn’t particularly good, so I won’t recommend it.

    Day 7: Gold Coast to Lamington National Park

    Lamington National Park, west of Springbrook, is a 200sq km hinterland of walks and wildlife. To get there go via route 90 (off M1) towards Canugra and then on to Binna Burra. Binna Burra is a good base for your adventures with its information centre (pick up a free map and some advise on where to walk), restaurant/tea room and Binna Burra Mountain Lodge (advance booking essential) with its rooms, camp site (powered and unpowered sites available). The thought of a national park (bushes, trees, walking) might sound a bit dull to some, but nowhere else will you see so much wildlife roaming around freely. On the day I visited, I saw a kangaroo, a wallaby, several large black lizards, a huge monitor lizard, a blue lobster and a variety of coloured birds. Watch out for bandicoots, flying foxes, koalas and other strange creatures!

    You will need: water, study shoes, insect repellent, waterproofs, some food if you plan on eating lunch there, a torch, a first aid kit and a camera.

    If you’ve got some time on your hands, and aren’t too keen to get back to the Gold Coast strip, swing by Tamborine Mountain nearby for some amazing scenery and waterfalls. There’s an information centre at North Tamborine.

    Day 8: Lamington to Brisbane

    Just over 2 hours drive away from Lamington is Brisbane, your final destination. Follow the M1 into Brisbane (there’s a new toll booth not mentioned on roadmaps or Lonely Planet guide yet) and return your campervan.

    I’m assuming that after a week in a campervan you’re looking for some TLC so jump into a taxi and head for the Hilton Brisbane, located in the heart of the CBD providing easy access to everything Brisbane has to offer. I personally wouldn’t bother with the extortionate prices of the hotel restaurant and bar – you’re 5 minutes away from all the best restaurants and bars (Jo Jo’s on Queen Street is a modern Pizzeria/Thai/Steak restaurant and bar with a relaxed atmosphere – no booking necessary) so hit the street for a wander (most stuff is on Queen Street, Elizabeth Street, Edward Street or Adelaide Street).

    Alternatively, if you’re on a budget and fancy something cheaper, try the Brisbane Manor (formerly The Tourist Guesthouse). The 2-bed rooms are a bargain at about £14/night and have a TV with cable, a fridge, and an ensuite bathroom with a nice shower. Downstairs has a kitchen and a laundry room, perfect for washing all your skanky campervan clothes! There’s not much atmosphere but it is cheap so you can’t complain. Avoid the dorms at your peril.

    If you need some Internet access to upload all your photos, ignore the crazy prices in the Hilton ($17/7GBP for 30 minutes!!) and walk up to Global Gossip on Edward Street near Central Station.

     

  • Dave 1:35 pm on December 16, 2006 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

    Parting notes on Thailand (Bangkok, Ao Nang, Krabi, Ton Sai, Railay, Lao Liang, Ko Lanto, Ko Pha Ngan, Phuket, Patong, Chiang Mai) 

    Bangkok
    This is where my journey in Thailand began, at the huge International Airport which sits on the outskirts of the city. For first time travellers it can be a little intimidating coming out of the airport into a feeding frenzy of taxi drivers. Having booked my accommodation online I’d selected the option to have a car come and pick me up, although normally you’ll be looking at around 800 baht for a taxi into town.

    I chose to stay in the Asia Hotel (http://www.asiahotel.co.th) situated in the heart of Bangkok and has it’s own entrance to the skytrain. It’s a clean, modern setup, if not a little too busy like the rest of Bangkok, but I’d recommend it for a stopover. TVs in the rooms, aircon, Internet cafe (and unofficial free wifi), 3 restaurants, shops and 2 swimming pools. Nearby is a huge mall with everything from camera lenses to flip flops. There’s an excellent tour guide in the lobby who managed to arrange some great deals on flights and stays at resorts.

    The LP guide does a great job of listing most of the sights, sounds and smells so I don’t need to.

    Krabi
    I flew to Krabi on Thai Airways for around £33 which is pretty good. Krabi airport is just outside Krabi Town and a taxi to either Ao Nang or Krabi Town isn’t very expensive – you should book a taxi from inside the airport at the taxi desk to avoid being ripped off.

    Krabi Town is a busy little place. It only really has one high street, but there’s plenty of activity going on around the place. To eat, I highly recommend Mary and Mark (075612562 – Th Ruen Rudee) – great Thai food but also some Mexican and German influences. For hardcore Thai cuisine you must try the Bangkok Welcome Cafe (corner Th Maharat) – dishes from around 25 baht! There’s plenty of places to drink but the tourists all know O’Malleys (7pm – 10pm happy hour) because it’s in the Lonely Planet guide and next to a bunch of hotels.

    Just outside Krabi Town, on top of a mountain (it’s really a hill but Thais call hills mountins) there’s a Buddhist temple called Tiger Cave Temple. Tourists are welcome to the climb the 1,237 steps to the top (there’s no charge) where you get the best view around for miles and can see the giant Buddha up close. Be warned, those of you who aren’t comfortable with heights should probably give this one a miss. A friendly taxi driver will take you from Krabi Town and wait for you while you climb up and down to take you back for a couple of hundred baht.

    Krabi Town pier is where you can catch ferries and long tail boats (a taxi boat). Some of the locations on the coast are only accessible by boat, but going from Krabi Town always seemed like a chore to me. There’s another pier at Ao Nam Mao which is accessible by car, or tuktuk, and a long tail only takes around 15 minutes to get Railay. Alternatively go to Ao Nang and a long tail will have you at Ton Sai in 10 minutes.

    A note on long tail boat taxi drivers. Initially these guys were the single most annoying thing about this part of Thailand. Because you’re not Thai, you’ll be treated like a second class citizen. Whenever you go near the little huddle of taxi guys you’ll hear, “Ao Nang, Ao Nang” or “Krabi, Krabi” – they’re usually not trying to hassle you, it’s because they’ve got some passengers waiting to go but they need more people for a boat to bring the price-per-person down. Haggling is a must. The more people in the boat, the cheaper it is. If you’re travelling after 4/5pm expect to pay a premium.

    Ao Nang
    Ao Nang for me was just somewhere to get a long tail boat from. There’s all the usual shops, restaurants and bars along the front, but it seemed quite family orientated. I only ate once here, at the Italian Pizzeria – which isn’t in the Lonely Planet guide – but I highly recommend it because they did great pizza.

    If you’re going to do elephant trekking, and you don’t have the option of doing it in Chiang Mai, I’d say to do it here. On the tour you can expect to see exotic birds, monkeys and you’ll visit Tham Srakaew – the cave that was used in the movie, The Beach.

    Ton Sai
    Ton Sai is famous in these parts for rock climbing and you can see why when you arrive – it’s surrounded by beautiful fauna covered cliffs. Accessible only by long tail boat (15 mins from Ao Nang), it’s a lazy beach popular with rock climbers and travellers alike.

    It’s much less touristy than its neighbour Railay, and has more “authentic” style bamboo huts. Of all the places I stayed in Thailand, Countryside Resort (booked through http://www.yourkrabi.com/booking/) was my favourite – absolutely stunning bamboo huts and probably the best food for miles around. The staple diet here is home made muslie (with fruit, yoghurt and a little bit of honey) for breakfast, green curry with boiled rice (or Tom Yam with boiled rice for the brave) for lunch or dinner. The cook in the resort also does international cuisine if you get bored with Thai food (but who would?).

    The bars along Ton Sai beach cater for most. It’s not as lively as places like Ko Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan, but it has its own charm. Everyone is very friendly, and bars range from places with hammocks and chairs on the beach to the larger DJ-toting, pool table in the corner type venues. The beach here can be quite rocky when the tide is out, but that doesn’t bother most as the stretch of white sand is big enough.

    Railay (Rai Leh)
    Railay is based around two beaches, Railay East and Railay West, and both have very different personalities. Railay West is a lush beach but as soon as you arrive you’ll notice a big difference from Ton Sai – local Thais hawking massages, selling drinks and trinkets, and the beach front is more developed with a handful of resorts right on the beach. Railay East doesn’t really have much to offer in terms of beach because it’s a rocky mud flat with trees growing right on the beach. However, the better resorts and bars are at Railay East. The walk from Railay East to West takes about 5 minutes. Choosing somewhere to drink largely depends on what’s happening that evening as there are too many bars for the relatively small number of people staying here. Among my favourites were Cliff Man (who also do climbing), Fusion (which has unfortunately closed now) and Rock Bar (up the hill).

    Eating on Railay can be a hit and miss experience. Most places do some dishes well, whilst others – particularly on Railay West – don’t even manage that. Viewpoint Resort, Railay Bay Resort, BoBo’s, CoCo and Sand Sea Resort are worthy of a recommendation.

    I stayed at the Viewpoint Resort mainly because it has good quality, cheap, rooms with fan, TV, hot shower, swimming pool, internet cafe and minimart. During high season it’s still good value, even if you do have to lean over the reception counter to see the list of available rooms to haggle over prices!

    Ko Lanta
    Ko Lanta was my first experience of a Thai island (read: very laid back). A ferry from Railay (can be booked at any tour operator or internet cafe) gets you there at a leisurely pace of 3 hours. The ferry takes you straight to Ban Sala Dan where there’s plenty of shops, tour companies, taxis, restaurants and everything else you might need. There was a tour guide on the ferry who arranged our accommodation – a resort called The Last Resort at the very southern tip of Ko Lanta.

    The Last Resort is perfect in many ways (the friendly people, best bar, amazing deserted beach, great food) but it fails the most important test for me – the bedroom test. Ok, so I might be a bit of hotel snob, but these huts are super basic with only a cold shower and manual flushing toilet for company. Oh, and did I mention the uncomfortable mattress on the floor and mosquito net with holes in? Having said all that, we rarely left the resort because it had everything else. When we did leave, I tried the Same Same But Different Restaurant which I suspect does the best food and drink on the island. It’s a very romantic little place and listed in the Lonely Planet.

    Ko Pha-Ngan
    Having decided that we’d have enough of the quiet life on Lanta, we decided to head to the home of the full moon party – Ko Pha-Ngan. The easiest option was by bus which takes you up through Krabi and then over to the port at Surat Thani where we caught a sleeper boat (a long ferry with a giant open room and beds on either side) to Thong Sala on Ko Pha-Ngan. All that sounds fairly simple, and in reality it is, but there are a number of stops where you’re dropped off at a restaurant for 1 hour and then picked up by another bus only to travel 5 minutes down to the port. But, if you take buses, you’ll learn pretty quickly not to question how it works – just respect that it does.

    We headed straight for the party town on Hat Rin Nok at the south end of the island. While it was nice to be in the thick of things again, it does have a slightly sleazy ‘18-30s destination’ feel to it. There are plenty of movie bars, fast food joints, clubs and beach bars. The only bar I’d go out of my way to recommend is Outback Bar (listed in the Lonely Planet guide), purely because it’s a laid back, spacious venue with good food, drink and entertainment.

    Worthy of special mention is the Chakra Massage (listed in the Lonely Planet guide) where I did my past life regression and Charlotte did a Thai Massage course. The proprietor trained as a monk and is highly regarded by locals.

    Ko Lao Liang
    Lots of people have asked me about Lao Liang after seeing my photos. Lao Liang is on the tip of a nature reserve and until recently hasn’t been accessible to tourists (there’s no tours or info in the LP guide). The result is a small beautifully unspoilt island with basic facilities. However, the facilities are to a very high standard – showers, spacious tents with fans, bar and dining area. Although it’s possible to arrange a trip with a tour agency (you’ll be very lucky to find one that does this trip), you won’t get the extra benefit of booking with the XSite operators (Vinnie or Michael) who provide snorkelling gear, climbing gear and kayaks free of charge.

    A day trip off Lao Liang to go snorkelling or diving is an absolute must – I’ve never seen water so clear and such a huge range of sea life. You can fish straight off the side of a kayak and pull out 10lb Giant Travellys and stand a good chance of seeing a Monitor Lizard or two. Oh, and the red ants are edible.

    I don’t climb, but the climbers that came on the trip loved the climbs and the XSite guys have just finished putting up a whole bunch of new, challenging routes.

    Phuket
    Probably the most visited part of Thailand after Bangkok, Phuket is a favourite tourist destination with all its lady bars, nightclubs and buzzing shopping areas. It’s a different a crowd to those in Ton Sai and Railay (keep your fishermen pants in your backpack) but not as sleazy as Ko Pha-Ngan. Well, unless you stray into the neon-lit road of Th Bangla which is full of bars, lady bars, ping pong joints and everything else you’ve probably heard about. Hot Thai girls dancing in bars will queue up to be your best friend in the hope that you’ll take them home for a night. It’s not seen as prostitution, more a sort of arranged date where the guy pays for the privilege. To put the record straight, no, I didn’t try it! A local Thai explained to me that these girls often come from farming communities up north and can earn a whole months pay in a single night. Their parents usually don’t know what they do preferring to believe that they have several jobs.

    Tuk Tuks here are quite impressive – all blinged up with neon lights, spoiler, alloys. Drivers are a bit hit and miss and I’m not sure I feel any safer in a tuk tuk than on the back of a taxi bike.

    I stayed at the Patong Green Mountain Hotel (not listed in the LP guide) which is just on the edge of Patong – a good distance away from the hubbub, but still accessible, and a great view of the beach (if you’re on the 4th floor). The bar staff were exceptionally kind, often going out of their way to find out things for us and there’s a free taxi service to drop you off in town – handy when you’ve had a few beers. Aircon, TV, hot water, breakfast, large pool, internet cafe, tour guide. 2 min walk from three 7-11’s, and the Esso garage.

    There’s plenty to see and do on Phuket, not just the beaches. I rented a motorbike for a week (rent over 3 days and haggle for a discount) and I’d say it’s the best way to get around. You can easily explore – either via the beautiful coastal roads, or hit the motorway and explore the northern end. A word of warning though – the police and tuk tuk drivers have a pretty good racket going. This only really applies to Patong village at the time of writing. If the police see a non-Thai riding a bike, they’ll blow their whistle and tell you to stop. The first time this happened, it was because my friend wasn’t wearing his helmet – it’s against the law for a driver not to be wearing their helmet. The second time, I was stopped, and thinking I was ok with my helmet on asked what the problem was. The policeman asked for my international license, and of course I only had my UK license. NO ONE has an international license, and the police know it, so it’s off to the police station to pay the fine – and there will be a queue of tuk tuks nearby waiting for you. How to avoid it? Three ways; 1) get an international license (yeah right), 2) when you hear a policeman whistling – look the other way and keep driving. If you see a police stop ahead (lots of police and tuk tuks), turn around. 3) stop, get the paper work – make up any old name and age (they can’t read your license), but hold on to your bike key. Go and have a couple of beers, come back an hour or two later, drive away.

    If you get tired of the tourist beaches, try driving up to Hat Nai Thon in the North West corner near the airport. It’s yet to be bastardised by tourism and it’s where the local Thais go for a day out. I camped in a tent here (bought from a local supermarket) and there’s a great little bar just set back from the beach behind the trees where you can purchase boozage. Swimming at night is quite magical as there’s a great deal of phosphoresce in the water.

    Chiang Mai
    I can’t really say anything about Chiang Mai because I spent most of my 2 days in bed with a stomach bug! I stayed at the Novotel Hotel (in the LP guide) and booked with Ping Pong (an unfortunate name for a girl) of Universal Travel (booking with a tour guide is essential if you want the best prices for accommodation and free transfers) who was the most wonderful travel guide. I thought the Novotel was quite sucky (and I’m convinced their breakfast gave me food poisoning) so Ping Pong moved me to the Vila Villa Hotel – a brand new hotel, not fully opened at the time of writing. On arriving my jaw dropped – brand-new traditional style Lanna villas, surrounded by lush greenery, water wheels, fountains, koi karp filled ponds. Definitely very romantic. The hotel staff were exceptional – they took me to the train station and helped me book my ticket and let me stay in my room for an extra 3 hours because my train wasn’t until the afternoon.

    For reasons I don’t quite know, I chose to take the train back to Bangkok – I think I needed to try trains in Thailand to complete my travelling experience here. The sleeper express takes 11 hours from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and compared to the Russian sleeper I took from Moscow to Murmansk, it’s very well equipped. The best beds are the bottom ones which cost a little extra, but are bigger. You get some privacy with a curtain that can be drawn across and generally everyone is quiet. The only thing that irked me was it was such a good setup but the actual train ride was bumpy as hell and at times almost threw me out of my bed! But still, you have to laugh about it.

    Oh, one final note – I booked all of my Chiang Mai travel and accommodation last minute and it wasn’t as easy as everywhere else. I’m not sure if that was because it’s high season now, or just because Chiang Mai is quite small and there’s a lot of tourists. Either way, booking in advance is recommended.

     

    • Helen 7:16 pm on December 19, 2006 Permalink | Log in to Reply

      NB The restaurant in Krabi is May and Marks

      Cheers

      Clarkie

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